How much coronavirus a person carries could predict how sick they’ll get – New York Times
Dozens of research papers published over the past few months have found that people whose bodies were teeming with the coronavirus more often became seriously ill and were more likely to die, compared with those who carried much less virus and were more likely to emerge relatively unscathed. Now that information could help hospitals.
People with coronavirus are still getting on planes. No one knows how many. – Washington Post
Airlines highlight the safety measures they’re taking, but those rely on honest answers — and passengers don’t always tell the truth.
Where Year Two of the Pandemic Will Take Us – The Atlantic
As vaccines roll out, the U.S. will face a choice about what to learn and what to forget.
Flying with covid-19 isn’t just reckless — it’s potentially deadly – Washington Post
Low cabin air pressure is likely a factor in coronavirus-related deaths on planes.
What we’ve learned about how our immune system fights COVID-19 – National Geographic
A year into the pandemic, our understanding of immune responses to the coronavirus has skyrocketed. But more questions—such as how long immunity lasts—still need answers.
The US has hit its highest COVID-19 peak so far – Popular Science
If you’ve lost count (or never started), we are now at week 42 of the pandemic, which officially began on March 11, 2020, when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global event. It’s been nearly 12 months since the WHO announced there was a mysterious virus emerging in Wuhan, China, and though we understand far more about SARS-CoV-2 now, there’s still a lot left for us to parse.
Vaccine Headlines
China is set to vaccinate millions, but without any proof that its vaccines work – New York Times
Hospitals all over China have almost everything necessary for a mass vaccination drive. Millions of doses. Refrigerators to store them. Health care workers trained to administer them.
In other coronavirus news: Vice President-elect Kamala Harris got her shot; the pandemic has left many Americans “stuck in time.”
Clinical Considerations
SARS-CoV-2 Infection Rate Low in Patients Receiving Antitumor Therapy – Physician’s Weekly
The rate of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is 0.68 percent among patients receiving antitumor treatment, according to a research letter published online Dec. 17 in JAMA Oncology.
Official Reporting for December 30, 2020
World Health Organization
Weekly Epi Update December 22, 2020
Confirmed Cases: 80 155 187
Deaths: 1 771 128
ECDC
Confirmed Cases: 76 046 387
Deaths: 1 693 858
Johns Hopkins
Confirmed Cases: 81,996,540
Deaths: 1,789,905
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Total cases: 19,232,843 (+176,974 New Cases)
Total deaths: 334,029 (+1,783 New Deaths)
Surveillance Headlines
UNITED STATES
Colorado: first state in U.S. to confirm new, more contagious strain of COVID-19 – Denver Post
Rhode Island: Field Hospital Opened In Rhode Island To Deal With COVID-19 Surge – NPR
Southern California: Southern California Stay-At-Home Order Extended As COVID-19 Floods Hospitals – KPBS
Arizona: COVID-19 hospitalizations, ICU use hit new highs as Arizona reports about 2,800 new cases, 171 deaths – AZ Central
Dallas, Texas: COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to shatter records in Dallas County – Dallas News
EUROPE
UK: Hospital and case numbers in England surpass the first peak, despite lockdowns – NYT
Spain: Spain will keep a register of those who refuse the coronavirus vaccine – CNN
Science and Tech
Therapeutics
Psychological and Sociological Impact
Nurtured by Nature – Washington Post Magazine
How the pandemic has intensified our connection to the outdoors.
Published Research
Graves’ Thyrotoxicosis following SARS-CoV-2 Infection – Science Direct
ncidence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Patients Undergoing Active Antitumor Treatment in Italy – JAMA Oncology
Misinformation, Disinformation, and Conspiracy Theories
Vaccine Hesitancy